1-178TH FIELD ARTILLERY Marion’s Men BATTALION E-LETTER SWAMP FOX FACTS Nearly 800 Sol- A Chronicle of the 1-178 FA BN in Afghanistan V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 1 A P R I L 2 0 1 0 diers make up the 1-178 FA BN in AFG. The 1-178 previously fought in Iraq from 20042005. The Battalion’s roots go back to Francis Marion, the “Swamp Fox.” The 1-178 FA BN HQ is located in Kabul, Afghanistan. INSIDE THIS ISSUE: CO’s View 2 Joe’s Place 2 Church Chat 3 Operation Outreach 3 The Leader’s Book 3 History of 1178 FA BN 4 Boots On The Ground The trip to Afghanistan (AFG) from Camp Atterbury, IN was long and tiresome for the Soldiers of the 1-178th Field Artillery Battalion (1178 FA BN), “The Swamp Fox Battalion.” After leaving Camp Atterbury on 19 February, the Battalion traveled by chartered air from Indiana through Ireland to Manas, Kyrgyzstan. After almost a week in Manas, the Battalion began mobilizing to Afghanistan via military aircraft to Bagram and North Kabul International Airport in Afghanistan. The first group of seventeen Soldiers arrived on 26 February 2010. The rest of the Battalion arrived in- The 1-178 FA BN arrived in Afghanistan 26 February 2010. country over the course of the next week. The Headquarters for the 1-178th FA BN is based at Camp Phoenix in Kabul. The Battalion also has Soldiers in multiple provinces on Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT’s). The Battalion has responsibility for providing a National Support Element (NSE) at North Kabul International Airport (KIA), support elements at camps Julian/Dubbs and Alamo and providing civil affairs support to local villages in the Camp Phoenix Area of Operations. Task Force Swamp Fox consist of 500 South Carolinians, 249 members of Pennsylvania's 1-110th Infantry Battalion and 45 members of Guam’s C Co, 294th Infantry Battalion. The Swamp Fox Battalion is on a one year deployment. Swamp Fox BN Earns Combat Patch On 30 March 2010 the Soldiers of the 1-178 FA BN earned the 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB) Combat patch for 30 days service in a combat zone. COL Zeb Williams, a South Carolina Guardsman serving as Judge Advocate General for the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) from Georgia, presented LTC Ed McInnis and CSM Samuel LTC Ed McInnis presents SSG David Ford the 218th MEB Combat Patch. McKenzie the 218th MEB Brigade patch at a ceremony held at Camp Phoenix. LTC McInnis and CSM McKenzie in-turn presented the Soldiers of the Battalion their combat patch. The combat patch, or shoulder sleeve insignia indicates former wartime service, is a tradition started by the Army during World War II. PAGE 2 The Commander’s View... Salaam Alekum (Peace be with you), LTC Ed McInnis, Commander, 1-178 Field Artillery BN greets a young Afghan boy. “I want to sincerely thank everyone back home for their continued support for this Battalion.” LTC McInnis Greetings from Afghanistan and Camp Phoenix in Kabul. The Soldiers of Task Force Swamp Fox have been in country for a little more than 40 days now. The Security Force (SECFOR) Platoons supporting the 12 Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT) across Afghanistan are now in place and have conducted Relief-In-Place (RIP) operations with their counterparts. The Battalion Headquarters is located at Camp Phoenix and we are now fully entrenched in day to day operations. The Soldiers are embracing the mission and have already made great progress by increasing the standard established by our predecessors from the 48th BCT of the Georgia Army National Guard. We were initially very disappointed in our change of mission, but our new mission of provid- ing for the safety and security of the residents of Camp Phoenix is a major challenge. In addition to performing the SECFOR mission here at Camp Phoenix, we have also been charged to establish the National Support Element at North Kabul International Airport, which will provide administrative and logistical supports to 900+ US forces working at ISAF Joint Command. We are also providing Camp Support Groups at four Forward Operating Bases in and around the Kabul area. The staff is fully employed as Camp Phoenix is transitioning to Area Support Group as part of the larger Kabul Base Cluster concept. Our Civil Military Operations cell has assumed responsibility for projects that the 48th BCT left behind. So as you can see we are staying very busy. I want to sincerely thank everyone back home for their continued support for this Battalion as the mission continues to evolve. I especially want to recognize the efforts of our Family Readiness Group Leaders, all of whom are volunteers. The love, concern, and compassion you demonstrate daily on behalf of our Soldiers greatly encourages us and allows us to stay focused on our mission. Also many thanks for the great care packages and letters! True & Tried, LTC E.M. McInnis r u e Joe’s Corner... CSM McKenzie promotes Brandon Unruh to Specialist. MARION’S A Soldier’s promotion is one of the most important days of their military career. A promotion in rank while serving in a combat zone is even more special. It signifies exceptional performance in some of the toughest and most stressful MEN working conditions a Soldier will ever face in their career. Nine 1-178 FA BN Soldiers have been promoted since the deployment began. Here’s a big HOOAH to the following Soldiers: SSG Brain Herrington SPC Wesley Hooks CPL Bobby Richardson CPL James Staus SPC Johnathon Stevens SPC Brandon Unruh PV2 Rennardo McDaniel SGT Derrick Woodberry SPC Kenneth Burden VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1 PAGE 3 Church Chat with the Chaplain... Greetings, We've been on the ground here for a little more than a month. Camp Phoenix is nice as far as Afghanistan goes. It's certainly much more comfortable than some other places here. I have been out on several patrols and have visited your loved ones in the towers and they are doing pretty well. For those of you with loved ones around Afghanistan in PRT's, we are praying for them and supporting them. After Easter, SPC Rounds and I will be taking the time to visit with each PRT and make sure they are being taken care of. As we have been getting MWR items here, we have been sending many of those on to them. Here's what I would like to ask of you...continue to pray for us every day. The one common theme I see is that your Soldier misses you. They may not always say it, but they do. Encourage your Soldier to connect with their faith even more while they are here. We are offering a huge array of services, classes, and Bible studies to help your Soldier grow spiritually and emotionally. In a few weeks, we are going to be starting some relationship classes and a financial management class. We hope to be able to CH (CPT) Josh White bless them in this way. sings praises to the God bless you during this Lord. Easter season. We are praying for all of you! In His bonds, CH (CPT) Josh White Healing Hearts & Minds It doesn’t take a newcomer to Afghanistan too long to figure out that this war torn country is in need of every necessity known to man. After thirty years of war, this country is in need of a major overhaul. The Afghan people need help repairing their lives. The United States and its coalition partners are working hard to help the Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA) restore this country’s infrastructure. Together they are making progress. However, there is only so much those organizations can do to restore the people’s hope for tomorrow. That’s where Operation Outreach AFG (OO-AFG) comes in. OO-AFG is a Soldier led volunteer organization based at Camp Phoenix, Kabul AFG. Founded more than four years ago by a former Camp Phoenix Soldier, OO-AFG has a mission of providing humanitarian and medical assistance to the Afghan people living around Camp Phoenix. Continued on Page 4 A dismounted patrol assembles gift bags for Afghan kids. The Leader’s Book by CSM McKenzie The mission began in April 2009, when the Battalion leadership was charged with getting our Soldiers through the Soldier Readiness Process (SRP). The SRP ensures that each Soldier is ready for deployment. Our training began in October 2009 at Fort Stewart, Georgia. The Soldiers went through eight weeks of premobilization training, including weapons systems, battle drills, and military operations. On 3 January 2010 the Battalion officially deployed. After six weeks of training at Camp Atterbury, IN, the Battalion deployed to Afghanistan. We arrived in-country in late February 2010. Our mission is challenging, yet rewarding. My job is to take care of our Soldiers so that they can do what’s necessary to accomplish the mission. My goal is to get everyone of them back home safely to their families and friends. True & Tried, CSM McKenzie CSM Samuel McKenzie meets with SPC Byron Rounds. The History of the 1-178 Field Artillery Battalion 1/178 FA BN Public Affairs Editor: CPT Chris G. Neeley 1/178 Field Artillery BN Camp Phoenix APO, AE 09320 Questions or Comments? Email CPT Neeley chris.g.neeley@us.army.mil Join us on Facebook @ Marion’s Men The 1-178th Field Artillery Battalion can trace its roots back to 1776, when local citizens answered the call of freedom and formed the Georgetown Independent Company of Artillery. In October of 1776, the Company was renamed the 5th Company of the 4th South Carolina Regiment, and assigned to the Southern Department of the Continental Army. The Citizen -Soldiers of today’s Battalion share the same pride and devotion to community service that our forefathers displayed when they followed the “Swamp Fox” Francis Marion into the black water swamps of South Carolina. The Battalion has been involved in every major engagement from the War of 1812 through the Spanish American War. World War I saw the modern genesis of this Battalion as we fought against the Kaiser as Engineers and were credited with the following campaigns: Lorraine, Champagne, Champagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne, St. Mihiel, and Meuse-Argonne. Shortly after the war, the Battalion was converted into an Artillery Regiment. During World War II the Regiment faced the dreaded Afrika Corps commanded by the “Desert Fox” Erwin Rommel. The Regiment was attached to the U.S. II Corps, commanded by General George S. Patton Jr. The Regiment marched to Sicily and then Italy, where the Regiment was awarded the French Croix de Guerre (Cross of War) with Silver-Gilt Star by the commanding general for actions during the Battle of Monte Cassino. During the Campaigns of Tunisia, Sicily, Naples-Foggia, Rome-Arno, North Apennines, and Po Valley, the Regiment fired for a combined 401 consecutive days with out relief and saw a total of 630 days of combat. Late in the war, the Regiment was split into the 1st, 3rd and 4th Howitzer Battalions and continued to provide support to the local communities during the post war years. On 14 June 2004, the 1st and 4th Battalions were combined and placed on alert for deployment to Iraq. The Battalion conducted Convoy Security Operations in Iraq, logging over five million miles and conducting over 4,000 escort missions. The Battalion encountered fourteen IED’s, twenty small arms engagements, 1 rocket propelled grenade attack, eight unexploded ordinances, 21 incidents that required escalation of force, and 15 attempted hijackings of escorted vehicles, while sustaining only five combat related injuries and no loss of life. The 1st Battalion 178th Field Artillery most recently answered our country’s call in support Operation Enduring Freedom. Together with 249 members of PA’s 1-110th IN BN and 45 members of Guam’s C Co, 294th IN BN, The 1-178 FA BN is supporting 12 Provincial Reconstruction Teams with over 500 Security Forces and all of Camp Phoenix’s Force protection. Additionally, the Battalion is providing a National Support Element at North Kabul International Airport, support elements at Julian/Dubbs and the Alamo and providing civil affairs support to local villages and the Government Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA). Healing Hearts & Minds cont. OO-AFG has a proud history of empowering the Afghan people through medical missions, supplying local schools with supplies and book bags for children, teaching women at local shelters the benefits of cooking on solar ovens and providing food, clothing and shoes for thousands of local nationals. If you would like to help the Soldiers of the 1-178th Field Artillery Battalion help the people of Afghanistan, then please consider donating shoes (Ages 0-20), school supplies/book bags, English grammar books, alphabet and numerical flash cards and fleece blankets and first aid kits. You can ship your gifts to: Chris Neeley 1-178 FA BN Camp Phoenix APO, AE 09320 SFC Bud Rinehart gives a stuffed animal to a local Afghan girl. Your contributions will enable us to show the Afghan people the love and compassion that America is known for around the world. Together we can heal the hearts and minds of the Afghan people!